Cartridge clip



May 8, 1962 G;'F. PARKER CARTRIDGE CLIP Filed Nov. 18, 1959 Z4 INV ENTOReofye @e0/@riti HWK/@f by VIII/[[117 BY atiyl AoTORNEYg Fly, 6

United States IEatetit 3,032,907 CARTRIDGE CLIP George F. Parker,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Her Majesty the Queen, in Right ofCanada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence Filed Nov.18, 1959, Ser. No. 853,822 2 Claims. (Cl. 42-88) This invention relatesto a cartridge clip and, in particular, is directed to cartridge clipscomposed of a plastic material.

Cartridge clips are used for holding a number of individual cartridgesin a common plane for convenient storage and for the easy and rapidiilling of a ritie magazine. Ordinarily, such clips are constructed intwo parts, these being a holding channel and a backing spring, both ofwhich are made of suitable metal, such as steel, aluminum, brass, etc.,protectively coated against corrosion by a phosphate dip or cadmiumplating.

In order that the clip can perform its function of holding thecartridges and releasing them when required, the spring tension upon thecartridges must be such that the cartridges will be retained in the clipwhen subjected to relatively low pressures in either of their movabledirections along the holding channel. At the same time, the cartridgesmust be quickly and easily displaced from the clip when subjected to apressure which is just slightly more than the maximum pressure retainingthe cartridges in the clip. It has been found that in handling thecartridge clip, the cartridges are usually .subjected to not more thantive pounds pressure, and therefore the clip pressure should be not lessthan tive pounds. On the other hand, for the easy release of thecartridges at all times, and particularly under adverse weatherconditions, that cartridges should be released from the clip when apressure of between tive and ten pounds is applied thereto.

In use, the clip containing a plurality of cartridges is inserted intothe magazine of a rifle and the cartridges are forced from the clip intothe magazine by means of thumb pressure applied to the outermost endcartridge in the clip, the clip being held stationary by means of lugson the sides of the clip which are engaged with the holding means of themagazine. In the case of a magazine which has been detached from therifle, the clip is inserted into guides on the magazine and thumbpressure again used to push the cartridges from the clipinto themagazine.

The conventional two-piece metal clip has several disadvantages. It isunnecessarily heavy and expensive to manufacture. It is difcult to slidethe cartridges into and out from the clip when the spring tension issufficient to retain the cartridges. When the metal clip is full, thespring does not always exert an even tension upon all of the cartridgesheld in the clip, and under certain handling and stowing conditions,there is a tendency for the end cartridges to fall out of the clip.Again, sharp edges inherent in a metal clip sometimes cause injuries tothe hands of the person using the clip.

The object of this invention is to produce a cartridge clip which avoidsthe above-enumerated disadvantages.

In general, this and other objects of the invention are obtained byforming a cartridge clip from a single piece of plastic material, suchas a synthetic plastic composed of nylon, linear polyethylene,polystyrene, polyester tilm, polyethylene, acetate butyrate, celluloseacetate, polypropylene or polycarbonate. The clips are formed from thematerial by directly moulding them or by machining them from extrudingbar stock.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained aredescribed more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the cartridge clip of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View on the line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of a modiiied construction of FIGURE1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of a further modied form of clip; and

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views, respectively, as taken onthe lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7 7 of FIGURE 4.

As shown in FIGURES l, 2 and 3, the clip is composed of a channel shapedbody 10 having a bottom web 12 and` side flanges 14, the body being openat its opposite longitudinal ends 16. Extending inwardly from the upperfree ends of side ilanges 14 are inwardly directed flanges 18 which,together with the side channels 20 thus formed, are for the purpose ofengaging the rims of the cartridges to be held in the clip. Clip lugs 22are integrally formed and project outwardly from the opposite `sides ofthe body 10. The body is composed of a synthetic plastic material and iscurved or bowed along its longitudinal axis, as shown.

As shown in the modification of FIGURE 3, additional holding pressureagainst the release of cartridges from the clip is provided by means ofdetent buttons or bosses 24 located in the channels 5 adjacent the openends 16 of the clip.

In the modification of FIGURES 4 to 7, the free edges of flanges 18 aregiven slightly beveled surfaces 30. Furthermore, anges 18 have rabbetedends 32, with the beveled surface 30 terminating short of these ends soas to form a squared end 34. The detent bosses 24 are locatedsubstantially beneath these ends 34.

In use, the rim ends of the cartridges are forced through the open end16 of the clip into the grooves 20 formed by the flanges 18 and thebottom 12 of body 10. Grooves 20 are slightly narrower than the rim ofthe cartridge and this, coupled with the bowed shape of the clip,provides suicient tension to hold the, cartridges in place.

By being moulded or otherwise formed from a single piece of syntheticplastic material of the types described above, the clip of thisinvention has a distinct advantage over the clips of metal. As it is ofone-piece construction, the heretofore used metal spring is eliminatedand there is nothing to be fouled by dirt, ice, or snow to prevent theremoval of cartridges from the clip and to increase the weight of theclip. Duc to the even pressure exerted on the cartridges throughout thewhole length of the clip, the end cartridges are under direct tensionfor their retention in the clip, and the cartridges can be forced fromor released from the clip by the application of a pressure not less thantive pounds nor exceeding ten pounds. The plastic forming the clip canbe made with smooth edges and thus eliminates sharp edges which maycause injuries in the handling of loaded clips. Again, as the plastic iseasily worked, the cost per clip is considerably less than that of ametal clip. Furthermore, the plastic clips can be permanentlycolor-coded when made in order to provide an easy identication of thetype of cartridge loaded in the clip. Finally, plastic clips do not needan anticorrosive finish.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention areobtained, I claim:

l. A cartridge clip comprising a channel shaped body composed ofsynthetic plastic having a bottom web and side flanges and being curvedalong its longitudinal axis, cartridge rim engaging flange means fixedto the free ends of said side flanges and extending inwardly of saidclip and parallel to said bottom web, cartridge release holding pressuredetent bosses projecting inwardly from said side flanges adjacent thelongitudinal ends of said body, and

a plurality of clip locating lug means protruding outwardly from saidside flanges.

2. A cartridge clip as in claim l, said body being composed of asynthetic plastic selected from the group consisting of nylon, linearpolyethylene, polystyrene, polyester film, polyethylene, acetatebutyrate, cellulose acetate, polypropylene, and polycarbonate.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS JohnsonAug. 3, 1897 Ashworth May 24, 1921 Nomar Apr. 16, 1940 Mason May l2,1953

